2009
West Point, Georgia
Movement that inspires
This represents Kia’s aim to change the future for the better and not only be a respected company but a company that people feel inspired by and want to work for.
Quick Start was a big draw for us. While other states typically provide a workforce training budget and cut a check, Georgia’s approach established the state as a true long-term partner in workforce development and training.”
— Randy Jackson, former Chief Administrative Officer of Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia
A recession didn’t stop auto giant’s success
In 2006, Kia Motors Corp. announced it was planning to build Georgia’s first new auto manufacturing facility in decades. West Point would be the location, a small town in the heart of West Georgia where the off-shoring of textile manufacturing had decimated once-thriving communities. “God Bless Kia,” read hand-made yard signs when the news was announced.
The excitement didn’t wane until hedge funds started to go bankrupt, and the Great Recession carved a hole in the global economy. Skeptics predicted doom. But they underestimated the determination of the community and Kia. Together, the community, the company, Georgia Quick Start, and the state’s veteran cohort of economic development players kept moving forward.
The timeline below chronicles what happened next. The all-new Kia Sorento — made in West Point — became one of the most popular models on the road. One success after another vanquished the cynics and proved to the world that with the right partnerships, there are no limits to the future.
Quick Start developed and delivered a pre-employment assessment program that allowed Kia to select the best from an initial pool of 41,000.
In 2008, a landmark moment in Georgia manufacturing took place at the Georgia Ports Authority.
Quick Start designed and built a training center to help prepare Georgians to work in automotive manufacturing. It’s still working.
